October 30 Day 2: Casablanca – Fez
Set out on an early breakfast to discover Casablanca, a port city and commercial center of Morocco facing the Atlantic Ocean. The French colonial heritage of the city is reflected in the Moorish architecture of the city center, combining Moorish style and European Art Deco. Explore the most emblematic point of Casablanca: the Hassan II Mosque and museum, the second largest mosque in the world including a minaret 690 feet high, and one of the few mosques open to non-Muslims. Depart via the Atlantic coast through Rabat, the administrative capital of Morocco and another important imperial city of Morocco. Rabat is known for sites that illustrate the Islamic and French colonial heritage. Visit the old town of Rabat, called Oudayas and Kasbah Oudaya, located adjacent to the Rabat medina at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River opposite Sale, a royal fort of the Berber era surrounded by formal Andalusian gardens overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Stop for lunch along the way and continue through Khemisset, and on to your guesthouse in Fez for the night (mixture of riads in the medina). (B)

October 31 Day 3: Fez – Exploring the Imperial City of Meknes & Voulibilis

Depart after breakfast for Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, Morocco's holiest town at the base of Mount Zerhoun, and the home of Idriss I, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, the first Moroccan ruler, first to bring the Islam religion to Morocco, and credited with being the founder of Morocco. Visit the Roman ruins of Voulibilis, the partly excavated Berber-Roman city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an exceptionally well-preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Empire, and filming location for Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ. Spread out across several hectares, the ruins reveal the transformation of the Roman Empire Carthaginian settlement into a typical Roman city devoted to the Roman gods. Continue to the imperial city of Meknes, (known as the Versailles of Morocco), one of the most important imperial cities of Morocco and former capital of Morocco under Sultan Moulay Ismail. Continue through Meknes, known for sites that illustrate both Islamic and French colonial heritage.  Venture on for a relaxing  lunch and wine tasting at the first North African “chateaux” and vineyard/olive grove of nearly 2,000 hectares near Meknes. Return to your guesthouse (mixture of riads in the medina). (B, L) 

November 1 Day 4: Fes Culture Tour

Spend the day in Fez, the cultural capital and first imperial city of Morocco. Fez, founded in the 8th century by Moulay Idriss II, is known for the fortified medina of Fez El Bali (Old Fez), one of the largest preserved medieval sites in the world, with medieval architecture, lively souks, and an old-fashioned atmosphere.Explore the medina and religious schools Bou Inania and Medersa Nejjarine, one of the most beautiful Koranic schools in Fez, dating back to the 14th century, decorated with carved cedar panels and delicate mosaics. Stop for lunch in the medina and explore picturesque gates, and cultural presentations in traditional Moroccan ceramic/tile (jelliz), textile items, and the city’s distinctive and colorful leather tanneries.  After your tour relax in your Riad and get ready for dinner at Palais Faraj offered by your host Ahmed (B,D)

November 2 Day 5: Fez to Erfoud

Begin your journey to Erg Chebbi in the Sahara Desert through the Middle Atlas Mountains, the Berber villages of Ifran (the “Switzerland of Morocco”), Immouzar Kandar, and the market town of Azrou. Cross the cedar forests near Ifran and Imouzar with century-old trees and delight in feeding the Barbary macaques of Gibraltar that thrive in the nearby groves of cedar trees. Continue through the beautiful Ziz Valley, wedged between prehistoric, striated cliffs dating back to the Jurassic period and scattered with ancient kasbahs and ksars lining the palmeraies, which are plentiful with dates, pomegranates, figs, and quince farmed there, and the village of Erfoud, the date capital of Morocco. Stop for lunch along the way and continue through Er Rachidia, one of Morocco’s most ancient and famous cities, known as the date capital of Morocco to your guesthouse in Erfoud for a group dinner with a special musical event by local artists (Kasbah Hotel Xaluca). (B, D) 

November 3 Day 6: Sahara Desert Adventure

After relaxing in the morning, discover Erfoud, the “Gateway to the Desert”, a destination for filmmakers for the quality of the natural light, the beauty of the surrounding villages, and desert oasis. Be inspired by a cultural geologic presentation on pre-Cambrian life through the fossils of Morocco. Stop for a lunch along the way and continue through the fortified and historic desert town of Rissani, the birthplace of the Alawite dynasty, located at the crossroads of 2 of the most important trans-Saharan caravan routes hosting hundreds of years of merchants passing through with their wares seeking provisions and shelter for a night. Then on to the stunning reddish-hued sand dunes of Erg Chebbi in the Sahara Desert to meet your cameleers who will guide you to your desert camp for a sundowner over the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Enjoy a desert dinner followed by traditional Saharan music around the campfire (mixture of luxury desert camps). (B, D)

November 4 Day 7: The Sahara Desert

After watching sunrise over the dunes and a desert breakfast, meet your crew for a guided dune buggy tour in the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Stop for tea with nomads and return to your desert camp for lunch and spend the afternoon touring Merzouga or relaxing at your camp in Erg Chebbi and with yoga, meditation, sandboarding, or a guided trek on foot in the dunes. Desert dinner followed by traditional Saharan music around the campfire (mixture of luxury desert camps). (B, L, D)

November 5 Day 8: The Door to the Desert

After a desert breakfast, depart for Ouarzazate, known as the door to the desert, via the Todra Gorge crossing the vast palm oasis of Tafilalet with many ksours. Experience landscapes alternating between huge desert plateaus and oasis, such as those of Goulmima. Take a short hike in the sheer rock walls of the impressive Todra Gorge. Stop for lunch along the way and cross Tamalout, Tourbist, Ait Said, and the home of Morocco’s Rose Festival, El Kelâa M'Gouna (commonly known as Rose Valley). Continue through Skoura, a fertile oasis lined with huge palm groves and along Lake Ouarzazate by the kasbah road to your guesthouse in Ouarzazate for dinner and the night (Le Berbere Palace). (B, D)

November 6 Day 9: Crossing the High Atlas Mountains 

Depart early morning for Marrakech through the majestic High Atlas Mountains and pass of Tizi-n-Tichka along a part of the main caravan route from sub-Saharan Africa to Marrakech. Visit the stunning Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop for lunch and continue over the High Atlas Mountains, arriving at your boutique hotel in Marrakech in the afternoon. Relax before a special dinner out at Al Fassia offered by your host (La Mamounia). (B, D)

November 7 Day 10: Marrakech Behind the Doors Culture Tour

Begin the day with an early visit to Jardin Marjorelle, built by the painter Jacques Marjorelle, and the former home of Yves Saint Laurent, and its spectacular Berber Museum, and Bahia Palace to learn about Moorish architecture. Set off to explore Koutoubia Mosque and the local culture via a tour of the daily life of Moroccan people through a “behind the doors” culture tour in the medina: a visit to a communal bakery, a walk through a local food market, and a visit to a traditional hammam and fondouk, an historic trading place for merchants from across North Africa. Return to your boutique hotel for lunch, then have free time to relax or shop the famed Marrakesh souks before returning to your boutique hotel for the night. (La Mamounia). (B, L)

November 8 Day 11: Marrakech – Essaouira Day Trip

Depart for a day in Essaouira (old Mogador), the pearl of the Atlantic, via the el Haouz plain, Chichaoua, and Sidi Mokhtar. Here you will discover a mix of cultures that reflects the rich history of this beautiful city. Travel through the Argan forest on the way and visit an Argan oil cooperative to see a demonstration of how Argan oil is traditionally made. Arrive in Essaouira and feast on delicious grilled fish, fresh from the sea. Stroll through the former Portuguese port, wander the spice-filled lanes of the medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, art galleries, and beautiful beach. Return to your boutique hotel for dinner and rest for the night (La Mamounia). (B),(D)

November 9 Day 12: Marrakech – Free Day

Enjoy a free day to relax or participate in one of the options offered by your host:

Ø  Golf: Set off in the morning for Royal Golf Marrakech, the second oldest golf course in The Kingdom. Play the 18-hole Old Course, frequented by Winston Churchill and former President Ike Eisenhower, or the 9-hole New Course, both with exceptional flora providing a unique setting. Price per person: 18-holes – 1 570 dirhams; 9-holes 890 dirhams

Ø  Cooking class: Head out for a morning cooking class under the guidance of a traditional Dada (Moroccan chef). Pick fresh ingredients and learn to make a traditional Moroccan meal then feast on the fruits of your labor. Price per person: 1 000 dirhams 

Ø  Hot air balloon ride: An unforgettable, 1-hour hot air balloon ride and sunrise over the majestic High Atlas Mountains near the beautiful Kik Plateau and Lalla Takerkoust Lake (and dam of Marrakech), followed by a traditional Berber breakfast. Price per person: 3 500 dirhams for private compartment in shared balloon; 5 700 dhs for private balloon (ballooning is dependent on weather)

Ø  Day trip to Ourika Valley: Escape the hustle and bustle of Marrakech to the lush Ourika Valley at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains. Tour Le Paradis du Safran with its natural barefoot path, to learn about saffron production. Have lunch at the Ourika Bio-Aromatic Garden, the first of its kind in Morocco, where you will discover plants, their virtues and uses, aromatherapy, and regional traditions. Enjoy a foot bath with bath salts flavored with bitter orange essential oil. Take a walk through the pristine Ourika Falls and hike its 7 beautiful waterfalls. Price per person: 700 dirhams

Ø  Shopping: Shop until you drop in the luxurious shops of Gueliz with the biggest local and international brands, offering upscale clothing, jewelry, and leather shoes and handbags. Then head over to Avenue M for lunch and haute couture finds. Price per person: no additional charge

Ø  Moroccan hammam/spa services: Indulge yourself in a traditional hammam, massage, facial, mani-pedi, and/or hair treatment. Price per person: dependent on service desired

At dusk, be thrilled by a gala dinner near the Marrakech palmeraie and return to your boutique hotel for the night (La Mamounia). (B, L, D)

November 10 Day 13: Marrakech – Free Day

Enjoy a free day to relax or participate in one of the options offered by your host. Have free time before a special dinner out offered by your host (see options on Day 10). (La Mamounia). (B, D)

November 11 Day 14: Marrakech Departure

Transfer to the Marrakech Airport for your flight home or wherever your next destination may be through the group transfers offered through your host. Self-transfers or other transfers can be arranged depending on your departure time.